Guild Wars 2

JustTrogdor.7892:

They probably already have your phone number from when you bought/registered the game unless you entered a fictitious one. You can check by going to My Account > Settings. Anyway I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I doubt they are going to start calling/texting you in the middle of the night to let you know of new and exciting things in the gem store.

If you’re worried about that, get a little airhorn. Works great on telemarketers.

Sister Swiftspell.1869:

@Drow… Personally identifiable information is worth a lot of money nowadays ; )… Why do you think they all want it? It’s not just about account “security”….

You could always ask them what they may possibly do with it, but good luck getting a response as I’ve logged two tickets recently asking about the EULA and privacy concerns which are yet to warrant a response.

Are you expecting a different answer than what is in their privacy policy? They won’t sell your information. Nothing can change for them to all of sudden decide to sell your information without first getting explicit permission from you. There are consumer laws to protect all of this, at least in the US. And I highly doubt Arenanet is going to decide to break federal laws.

SMS on login is starting to get annoying, why isn’t there an option to disable it. All you can do is agree to it or get it to ask you later.

Actually, not knowing if you need SMS is stopping me from buying the expansion, as I won’t use SMS. Just recently spent £46 pound in the shop as well, I’ll have to stop doing that until I know that you will not need it to be able to carry on playing.

Accounts since august 28th have to activate a two step activation. Members before that don’t need to.
If you don’t like SMS, just use google authentificator, it’s litteraly just once if you have only one computer you play on.

Gunsnroll.2657:

Accounts since august 28th have to activate a two step activation. Members before that don’t need to.
If you don’t like SMS, just use google authentificator, it’s litteraly just once if you have only one computer you play on.

My account is over 2 years old, I should of mentioned that.

I’m using Google Authenticator. When the SMS system came out I decided to try it, but given it took them over 2 hours to send me out the first message to get the thing set up I quickly decided to revert back to using the Authenticator, despite the SMS’s inherent advantages.

Sarie.1630:

I’m using Google Authenticator. When the SMS system came out I decided to try it, but given it took them over 2 hours to send me out the first message to get the thing set up I quickly decided to revert back to using the Authenticator, despite the SMS’s inherent advantages.

I just log in, I prefer it that way, been doing that in MMOs since 2004 and have never had any issue with security.

Azala Yar.7693:

I just log in, I prefer it that way, been doing that in MMOs since 2004 and have never had any issue with security.

That sounds like famous last words!

Unless you’re moving all over the place and playing the game you should only need to authenticate once. Given that for an extra level of security, what do you have to lose?

It’s up to you though, of course.

Sarie.1630:

Azala Yar.7693:

I just log in, I prefer it that way, been doing that in MMOs since 2004 and have never had any issue with security.

That sounds like famous last words!

Unless you’re moving all over the place and playing the game you should only need to authenticate once. Given that for an extra level of security, what do you have to lose?

It’s up to you though, of course.

I still don’t see why this game should be different to any other MMO I’ve played in those others it’s just an option.

But anyway I was under the impression you wouldn’t need to if your account was old, the login message seems to contradict that.

Looks like I’ll end up having to check with customer services.

Lol.
Else you just clic later, else you use one of the two step authentification they offer you. That’s that simmple.
You don’t need to… You should pay more attention when you read something.

And if a simple clic bother you, I am sorry for you.

Gunsnroll.2657:

Lol.
Else you just clic later, else you use one of the two step authentification they offer you. That’s that simmple.
You don’t need to… You should pay more attention when you read something.

And if a simple clic bother you, I am sorry for you.

Lol,

What’s the point of having to keep clicking when they could give you an option to opt out and not have the message keep reappearing . Now that would be so simple.

The fact they haven’t done so seems to suggest that they are going to make it compulsory, I’m really looking for clarification as to this point.

Azala Yar.7693:

Sarie.1630:

Azala Yar.7693:

I just log in, I prefer it that way, been doing that in MMOs since 2004 and have never had any issue with security.

That sounds like famous last words!

Unless you’re moving all over the place and playing the game you should only need to authenticate once. Given that for an extra level of security, what do you have to lose?

It’s up to you though, of course.

I still don’t see why this game should be different to any other MMO I’ve played in those others it’s just an option.

But anyway I was under the impression you wouldn’t need to if your account was old, the login message seems to contradict that.

Looks like I’ll end up having to check with customer services.

At the moment you don’t need it.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
Although inconvinient, account security is important. Not only for your self, but also to keep the game clean. If your account gets hacked it will likely used for botting or spamming. That is also annoying for the rest of the playerbase. So having a two way authentication is very very important and the right thing to do. If you do not prefer SMS, feel free to use the other options like the authenticator app on a mobile phone, a landline phonenumber they can call with the code (do not be concerned with them sharing the number or misusing it for advertising, in the privacy policy it is stated they only use it for calling through the code, that means they are bound by that by law). Or last of all winauth (which is the least secure option).

It is allready said that for now old accounts are allowed to login without these measures, but there comes a time you have to choose one. As stated, as it is important for the entire game, better do it now.

The benefits of the message outweigh the need for a disable. Let the button stay until someone signs up!

Zypher.7609:

The benefits of the message outweigh the need for a disable. Let the button stay until someone signs up!

If they’re not going to sign why keep the button.

I certainly wouldn’t use SMS. I also wouldn’t use Google especially if you need to sign up to them.

So there should be a don’t show message again check box at least.

Funny thing is when I reinstalled the game Friday I wasn’t getting the message, only been getting it in the last day or two. But I can sign in multiple times in a day.

It shows up once every 5 log ins. You can click the extra time once out of 5. If they add a disable button people will just click that. But if they keep the message there, people will get annoyed after a while and sign up. So much time/money goes into restoring compromised accounts.

So yes, you can click that little remind me later button every 5 logins.

Zypher.7609:

So yes, you can click that little remind me later button every 5 logins.

I’ll have to check that out, because yesterday I seemed to get it every login.

But that still doesn’t answer the question is it going to be compulsory in the near future.

Anyway part of the issue for me is that the email address I use for GW2 is specific to GW2 and as such only me and Anet know what it is. Consequently I get no junk mails or any others on that email account other than official notifications. Not bad seeing it’s been the best part of 3 years, shows Anet at least respect their customers in that area. Hence why I’m not keen to give it to any 3rd party.

Azala Yar.7693:

Zypher.7609:

So yes, you can click that little remind me later button every 5 logins.

I’ll have to check that out, because yesterday I seemed to get it every login.

But that still doesn’t answer the question is it going to be compulsory in the near future.

Anyway part of the issue for me is that the email address I use for GW2 is specific to GW2 and as such only me and Anet know what it is. Consequently I get no junk mails or any others on that email account other than official notifications. Not bad seeing it’s been the best part of 3 years, shows Anet at least respect their customers in that area. Hence why I’m not keen to give it to any 3rd party.

no two authentication system requires giving an emailadres to an outside source.

The winauth and the google authenticator works as follows:
The application knows your accountname (or emailadress, not sure). It only registers it and it is not sent to anyone. When you make a request, it is creating a code that is excrypted with a shared key (known only to the authenticator and the GW2 server), the accountname and the time/date stamp. This code is given to you and you type it into the client.
So there is no internet usage of the authenticator. it only stores data and uses it to generates the code. As the gameserver knows the same data, it can verify it is correct.

The SMS and landline call function work in a way that the server is sending a code through a separate channel (SMS or phonecall) you recieve it and it is typed into the client.

so in no situation your emailadres goes to a third party.

Azala Yar.7693:

Zypher.7609:

So yes, you can click that little remind me later button every 5 logins.

I’ll have to check that out, because yesterday I seemed to get it every login.

But that still doesn’t answer the question is it going to be compulsory in the near future.

Anyway part of the issue for me is that the email address I use for GW2 is specific to GW2 and as such only me and Anet know what it is. Consequently I get no junk mails or any others on that email account other than official notifications. Not bad seeing it’s been the best part of 3 years, shows Anet at least respect their customers in that area. Hence why I’m not keen to give it to any 3rd party.

If you’re happy about their discretion with regard to your email address, why not trust them with a phone number as well? As someone said before, if your IP address doesn’t change often or you’re always within a small range, you won’t be confronted with the 2 step system very often. Probably a whole lot less than the constant reminder.

I’ve activated it the first day the spaghetti dragon was introduced as an encouragement, and I’ve only had to confirm twice so far. Once on my regular PC and once when using the forums at a friend’s place on a mobile device.

use the desktop winauth option. I registered the SMS to it. Never seen it pop up again. assuming that’s because I play from only one computer.

I refuse to do cell phone sms, as that cell phone changes too often and the biggest draw back of SMS is lets say you take a year or two off from the game, if I don’t have one of those keychain sms, its a royal pain to figure out everything.

I would have ignored the SMS requirement, but I decided to look into it, saw a desktop program option and took it, now I have a snazzy magical dragon mini I quite enjoy.

Have never once had to use the SMS since registering it.

@eisberg – Not at all, it’s just as you’d probably know there language is broad at best and it’s written like this for a reason… for example in the Privacy Policy section (3) – How the information is going to be used -

“We may also disclose any of your Personal Information to law enforcement or other appropriate third parties in connection with criminal investigations, investigation of fraud, infringement of intellectual property rights, or other suspected illegal activities, or as otherwise may be required by applicable law, or, as we deem necessary in our sole discretion, in order to protect the legitimate legal and business interests of ArenaNet.”

What does in our sole discretion to protect our legal and business interests actually mean? Or is it just in relation to criminal things or is it an addition to the end? Could it possibly mean selling your information?

And how can one actually find out what it means when Anet won’t respond to my questions via support about the EULA?

In fact taking it one step further… legally in not understanding what I’m actually consenting too, section 7a of the user agreement states

“It is Your responsibility to read, understand and accept the Privacy Policy in effect in connection with Your use of the Service. You acknowledge that ArenaNet may make changes to the Privacy Policy at any time. You also acknowledge that each and every time You click “I ACCEPT” You warrant and represent that You did read, understand and accept the most recent version of the Privacy Policy in effect at that time. "

If I can’t understand exactly what I’m agreeing too and Anet won’t answer my questions about it, then legally I (and probably many others) shouldn’t be playing the game correct?

Can you give me a possible solution to this problem, and maybe you also know the answers to the questions raised in this other thread in regards to how they monitor website use etc. outside of the game?

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/New-EULA/page/2#post5437364

Btw, I’m not trying to be pedantic about this as I like most others would tend to just click yes and play the game, which is I’m sure what corporations count on – But in actually reading the EULA this time I’m very curious/interested to find out exactly what they monitor and how my information is being used – so I look forward to any possibly answers – Cheers.

This is the issue I am having. My daughter’s account is under her Mom’s phone number and my account is under mine. If my daughter is at my house her mom gets the sms code and sends it to me. By the time we try to put it in , the game wont accept the code.

Now if I would put my number under her account and she goes to her mom’s house the same issue would likely happen. My daughter wants to be able to play her account at both houses with out all this hassle.

How long does a sms code last before it goes bad?

Do we always have to go through this with a sms code or does the system recognize the account is being played on 2 different IP’s for good if we can get something to work?

I should add she cant even sign on the forums when she is at my house to change the phone number. We have to do it at her moms house.

Thor Malen.8291:

This is the issue I am having. My daughter’s account is under her Mom’s phone number and my account is under mine. If my daughter is at my house her mom gets the sms code and sends it to me. By the time we try to put it in , the game wont accept the code.

Now if I would put my number under her account and she goes to her mom’s house the same issue would likely happen. My daughter wants to be able to play her account at both houses with out all this hassle.

How long does a sms code last before it goes bad?

Do we always have to go through this with a sms code or does the system recognize the account is being played on 2 different IP’s for good if we can get something to work?

I should add she cant even sign on the forums when she is at my house to change the phone number. We have to do it at her moms house.

Her account will remember the IP ranges of both houses, and if your ISP is like most ISPs, you keep the same IP address for a very long time, usually doesn’t change unless reset the modem. So putting the code once at each house should be fine.

With that being said, you could opt to use the authenticator program on both computers instead, that way she gets the code on the PC’s instead from the phones.

I don’t know why you guys are complaining, you can use the desktop authenticator, no phone number, no smart phone, none of that is needed.

As a bonus when you get a new cell phone in two years you wont need to dig up the code you need to reverify the phones authenticators connection to the game.

I assume most people replace their PC far less often than their cell phones.

As an added bonus, pairing the game to winauth, ive never once had to use it other than the initial set up, I think that because I’m on the same PC, so its pretty unobtrusive, which I like.

Ive used keychain authenticators before and it was a total pain to have to use it every single log on, plus the amount of pain that would be required if I lost the thing or it broke….

I’m honestly not a fan of authenticators. I’m even less a fan of SMS authenticators. This desktop program authenticator is by far the best version ive seen.

My only worry with these types of things is if I move and get a new pc after taking a long break from the game, getting back in can be often not worth the effort when the accounts tied to these things.

not trying to be a pain here, but isn’t all this info in the tech support area of the forums? Why isn’t this discussion happening there?

If you save the 16 character “secret code” you get to setup the authenticator, you can set it up again if you accidentally delete WinAuth.

Why does it seem that people can’t even make an effort to the save information needed to use or reinstall a product they paid money for. It’s like buying a motorcycle and losing all its keys because you didn’t use it over the winter. I’ve seen enough posts in the support forum from players who “lost” the game’s serial number. Has services like Steam made everyone lazy? Here is your proof of purchase, let’s toss it in the rubbish bin cause you’ll never need that again to prove you’re the owner of the account.